I agree with Farm. Here are my takeaways from tonight:
1. Williams came out of her slump last game, but hit on all cylinders this game. 27 pts and 7/12 from three. This was desperately needed to make up for a lack of offensive consistency from others.
2. USC may not be offensively that talented, but they are just fine defensively and posed a good challenge. An active, physical, close defense that worked quite well in the first quarter when their players were energetic. It got harder for them to keep that up given they have so few players on the bench, and we scored more points in the 2nd than in the 1st, more in the 3rd than in the 2nd, and more in the 4th than in the 3rd.
3. Belibi, Precthel, Brink, and Jerome combined for only 38 minutes. Tara did not want more than one of them on the floor at a time--probably for defensive purposes. Of the four Brink was vastly more effective on offense going 5/5 but fouled out--she needs time to adjust to foul calls at the college level. I agree that Prechtel does not seem like her old frosh self. Belibi looked more like she did last year than earlier this year. In her first game this year against a quality defense, Belibi was unable to move in the paint and was only 2/7.
4. Anna Wilson got 29 minutes and went 3/10. Tara needed her defense. No one was consistently stopping Endiya Rogers.
5. Jones made important contributions by leading rebounding--which we won overwhelmingly--and also leading assists with 3. Her 4/11 shooting looked more mortal than we are used to seeing--not every crazy shot she threw up from the mid range went in.
Overall: there is plenty to learn from this game. Chiefly, I am pleased that Williams stepped up, and hopeful that differently players will star in different roles in different games. Our sophomores and freshmen showed tonight that they have quite a bit to learn about playing against tough defenses.
1. Williams came out of her slump last game, but hit on all cylinders this game. 27 pts and 7/12 from three. This was desperately needed to make up for a lack of offensive consistency from others.
2. USC may not be offensively that talented, but they are just fine defensively and posed a good challenge. An active, physical, close defense that worked quite well in the first quarter when their players were energetic. It got harder for them to keep that up given they have so few players on the bench, and we scored more points in the 2nd than in the 1st, more in the 3rd than in the 2nd, and more in the 4th than in the 3rd.
3. Belibi, Precthel, Brink, and Jerome combined for only 38 minutes. Tara did not want more than one of them on the floor at a time--probably for defensive purposes. Of the four Brink was vastly more effective on offense going 5/5 but fouled out--she needs time to adjust to foul calls at the college level. I agree that Prechtel does not seem like her old frosh self. Belibi looked more like she did last year than earlier this year. In her first game this year against a quality defense, Belibi was unable to move in the paint and was only 2/7.
4. Anna Wilson got 29 minutes and went 3/10. Tara needed her defense. No one was consistently stopping Endiya Rogers.
5. Jones made important contributions by leading rebounding--which we won overwhelmingly--and also leading assists with 3. Her 4/11 shooting looked more mortal than we are used to seeing--not every crazy shot she threw up from the mid range went in.
Overall: there is plenty to learn from this game. Chiefly, I am pleased that Williams stepped up, and hopeful that differently players will star in different roles in different games. Our sophomores and freshmen showed tonight that they have quite a bit to learn about playing against tough defenses.